A Schism Averted?

By

Harvey Cox

Updated Aug. 12, 2003 12:01 a.m. ET

Once again, the Episcopal Church has diffused a major crisis in -- there's only one way to put it -- a very Episcopalian way.

By confirming Bishop Gene Robinson, a gay man, the Episcopal Church has done the other denominations a great favor. It has boldly stood up to a difficult issue, and the signs are good that it will avoid a major schism -- and not for the first time.